Boxcar Kid/Jumping Jaipur

I added some variety to my journey through India by taking Indian Railways across the country.  I started in Delhi and traveled to the desert state of Rajasthan, which is in the northwestern section of the country.  I arrived in Jaipur, Rajasthan at night, and was immediately overwhelmed by the taxi and tuk tuk drivers.  One guy followed me from the gate to the parking lot telling me he was part of the prepaid taxi stand, even though I repeatedly said no.  While I waited on my Uber to arrive, he stood across from me telling me he would give me a good price.  Then, he had the nerve to say, “How are we supposed to make money if tourists use Uber?”  I told him if he didn’t harass people, then he would probably have passengers.  It was difficult for me to connect to Uber with my spotty phone service.  I’ve learned in India that when Uber says your car will arrive in 5 minutes, that really means 15-20 minutes.  I honestly would have preferred a prepaid taxi from the train station, but at that point, I didn’t feel safe or comfortable with this man following me, so I waited on Uber.  As a precaution, I shared my ride with my boyfriend so someone would know my whereabouts.   

I was totally surprised by what I saw on the streets of Jaipur on my way to the hotel that night.  The traffic was horrible.  People were out walking and shopping at the many stores and bazaars.  There was music and noise all around me.  I expected Jaipur to be a quiet, little town filled with history and moving at a slow pace.  Instead, it was just like Old Delhi.  My hotel was located just outside the walls of the Pink City.  Jaipur was named the Pink City by one of the kings because the buildings were made of the local sandstone.  Some of those buildings still stand as historical markers and are maintained by the government.  Jaipur is considered part of the Golden Triangle with Delhi and Agra.  

While in Jaipur, I took a day tour where I visited the Amber Fort, which protected the kingdom from enemies, and still stands overlooking the area. The fort was filled with visitors and hawkers. The Jal Mahal is a palace that stands in the middle of a (man-made) lake. It was created to protect the Maharani while the Maharaja was away. The Wind Palace is in the middle of the modern-day Pink City Bazaar. It was built so that the Maharani could look down at the processions/parades on the street without interacting with the common people, and they could not look up to see the Maharani based on the structure. The Jantar Mantar observatory is another UNESCO World Heritage Site. One of the kings was deeply fascinated by astronomy and called upon the best astronomers of the day to design instruments for his observatory. It hosts the world’s largest sundial. My tour also included visits to a jewelry making factory, textiles/block printing, and a tea/spice shop. I really could have just spent a couple of days in Jaipur, but I ended up staying for almost a week, so I could plan my next move. It was hard not having internet access to make arrangements. I stayed 2 extra days and changed hotels, so I would have steady Wi-Fi. I also learned that an Indian phone number is required to do things like buy train tickets, order food delivery, and make other long-term plans. I decided to buy an Indian phone and SIM card to make life easier.

Pink City

I really thought this was a dog at first.

Step by Step

In front of the Wind Palace

Jal Mahal - Water Palace

This is a very festive season in India, and lots of families are taking holidays/vacations. Navratri is a 9-day celebration that celebrates the victory of good over evil, and Diwali (Festival of Lights) takes place on November 8. Therefore, the museums and tourist sites are very busy.

I’m going to the southern state of Kerala next. I’ve never traveled to southern India, so I’m excited about seeing something different. I’ve heard many great things about Kerala’s beauty. It is a big honeymoon destination for Indians and it is known for Ayurvedic wellness practices. Some parts of Kerala experienced flooding a couple of months ago, and I would like to help them. I reached out to a couple of organizations to volunteer while I’m there, and I’m still waiting on a response. I’m currently on a 3-day train ride from Jaipur to Cochi, which is a popular destination in Kerala. Riding across the country on a train is a gutsy move, especially with so many people traveling for the holidays. There are noisy children running back and forth in the car. There are also the men selling food and drinks all day and night. They walk through and loudly announce themselves, "Chai (tea), coffee, Maggi (instant noodles)", "Kana (food), veg biryani, chicken biryani", etc. The train allows me to see the countryside in a way that I wouldn't on my own, and it's a lot less expensive than flying on a last-minute ticket. It’s nice to experience once, but I don’t think I would do this cross-country train ride again.

Cows on the tracks

My sleeping compartment

A future and a hope...

This morning felt special. I took my last malaria pill from my initial 90-day supply. (Don't worry, I have a refill for another 90 days.)



I can't believe it has been 3 months already. Where has the time gone? Oh, I know where it went - Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, and, now, India. I believe this will be my last country in Asia for now, and then I'm crossing the Indian Ocean to explore other wonders of the world.




This is my 3rd voyage to India, and the first time I'm here on my own and not for work. Check out my previous experiences in 2008 and 2011. I miss the perks of traveling for work, such as a dedicated driver, great hotels, reservation agents, and an expense card.

Stay cool!

I am currently sitting at the Delhi train station waiting on a train to Jaipur that is running 45 minutes late. I could deal with the tardiness, but sitting on display to the public is trying my patience. I feel like I'm an animal with 3 heads and green hair the way that people blatantly stare at me here. Men, women, and children are so focused on me that they sometimes run into other people or drop their belongings. I sat down on an empty bench when I learned about the delay. A few minutes later, a group of about 7 men sat across from me and only looked away when I returned their stares. When I turned away and looked back in their direction, they were staring again. An old woman sat on the bench next to me. She looked at me briefly and then turned away to mind her own business. When she left, a man sat down and proceeded to eyeball me until I returned the gesture. He glanced away. I started playing a game on my phone with my shoulders hunched, and I could feel him peering at me over my shoulder. I returned his stare again. For a brief moment, I thought about the benefits of a burqa.

I've only been in India for a week now, and I plan to stay until mid November (after Diwali).  My time in the country started off with me waiting at the airport for my boyfriend to arrive. My flight from Kuala Lumpur landed 2 hours before his flight. We left the airport around 3am. It was great having him here with me for my first few days back in India. We visited the Red Fort in Delhi, and the Agra Fort, Taj Mahal, and other points in Agra. We stood out everywhere we went. Some people followed us with their eyes while others actually walked behind us too closely. He thought it was just men being overtly sexual to a woman, and he wanted to go to blows with a few them to protect my honor. I told him it's not just the men and it's not necessarily a sexual thing. Both men and women ogled the both of us. We are aliens to them, and I guess their parents didn't teach them that staring at others is rude. A couple of people said they liked my hair, and he received compliments on his beard. Some wanted to take pictures with us like we were Barack and Michelle. We obliged schoolchildren and families who were polite and asked our permission. Otherwise, it felt like a zoo. (Indian streets provide animal smells free of charge.) It's also hard to determine when people are genuinely being nice and when they are conning you. We received "friendly" advice about local shops from a few different men that were most likely paid by the shopkeepers to send tourists there. Even though it was chaotic, I'm glad I was able to experience Delhi with my boyfriend at least for a few days. We travel well together.

It's hard for me not to be frustated here in India sometimes. The biggest issue happened just a couple of days ago. I stayed at Soul Stay Hostel ($4/night) for a few days after my boyfriend left. It seemed like a really cool place for a hostel. However, I came back from visiting the Lotus Temple and exploring the city to find by bags unzipped and money missing. I immediately reported the theft to the staff. They apologized and told me they would reimburse me and figure out what happened.  The next morning, I talked to one of the staff members named Jay about my travel plans and being reimbursed. He said he felt bad because he was on duty when it happened,  and he didn't want me to have a negative impression of the hostel. He said he would help me find a train ticket and a room for my trip to Jaipur paid by Soul Stay to make it up to me. I said I wasn't staying in another hostel, so he searched for a hotel room that met my approval. After I confirmed what I wanted, he said he would book everything for me and provide confirmation when I came back that evening. I was satisfied with this solution because it was close to the amount that was stolen. I left for the day and took the Metro train and a bus to the Lodhi Colony to view their public art. I met a young woman at the bus stop, named Rechna, who helped me navigate the bus. She was heading home to Lodhi and she showed me around the neighborhood until we arrived at her street. I wandered around on my own snapping pictures of murals on random buildings, such as the police station, apartments, and storefronts before heading back to my room hours later. Upon my return to the hostel, one of the managers told me they found the thief. Apparently, a guy's phone was stolen on the same day that my money went missing. They did some amateur detective work by calling the number and traced it back to none other than Jay, the one person who seemed to want to help resolve my problem. I told them about the arrangements he said he was making for me, and they said that he did get the train ticket through their agent, and that was all. The value of that ticket was a small fraction of what was stolen. I was not reimbursed. My room was not comped. I asked about it again when I checked out this morning. I also learned before checking out that other people also had money stolen while they were there. The missing money was important, because it was U.S. dollars that I wanted to exchange. However, the bigger problem for me was the invasion of my privacy and the lack of security. The hostel management could have taken better steps to remedy the situation, and they didn't. It's safe to say that I won't be staying at another hostel for awhile, if ever.

I'm holding on to my joy and will continue looking for the good in every situation.

Love

Who do you think is the most beloved person in the world - dead or alive? Please share their name in the comments with your name. I'll tell you the answer by the end of the week.

Updated October 22
I'm sorry it took longer than a week for me to get back to this post.  I've been busy.  In the weeks that passed though, I've seen more evidence to prove who is most loved across the world.  Before I reveal who it is, I just want to remind you that I've been in countries where Christianity is the minority.  My recent travels have taken me to places where the majority of the populations are Buddhist (Thailand), Muslim (Malaysia, Indonesia), Hindu (India), and religiously diverse and accepting (Singapore).  Even before my current journey, I saw signs of the world's love and admiration for this person across religions, languages, economies, generations, and hemispheres for years, but I just recognized the pattern recently.  Who is this person that the world admires so much?  It's not Michael Jackson or Beyoncé.  It's not Barack Obama, Che Guevara, or Tupac, although I've seen their images sporadically.

The most universally loved person is...



Bob Marley

His name and image is (unlicensed) everywhere. I've seen his influence around the globe, including bumper stickers on tuk tuks, clothes, messenger bags, hats, towels, reggae bars and clubs, rugs, posters, jewelry, and more. Even in the most random places where you think people have no idea about Marley, I've heard his music playing in cars and restaurants. People sometimes ask me if I'm Jamaican, or if they don't know English, they point to my hair and say, "Bob Marley", because I wear locs. Bob Marley put the tiny country of Jamaica on the map with his roots music and its universal appeal. He shared a message that still impacts the world regardless of boundaries. His message was simply, Love.

Menu in Jaipur, India

Massage parlor in Kuta, Indonesia

Living on Lombok

I arrived at the Lombok airport and was immediately propositioned by taxi drivers as soon as I stepped outside the terminal.  They crowded around yelling at me and some even tried to take my bags.  “Miss, miss, taxi”.  I was tired from traveling all day and I just wanted to shower and go to sleep.  The crowd was standing in the way of that happening.  I looked around for a money changer, and I went back inside where someone told me there was an ATM.  I stood at the ATM and laughed when the screen asked how much money I wanted.  I selected the option for 1,000,000 knowing that it might be the only time I ever see that many zeros.  I’m rich!  The Indonesian Rupiah (IDR) is trading at a rate of almost 15,000 per USD, which means 1,000,000 was only about $67. 

I walked back outside and I was surprised to see a driver from All Hands and Hearts holding a sign with my name.  I had booked a hotel for the night and paid for a taxi because I wasn’t expecting to check-in to the base until the next morning.  I cancelled the taxi and followed the driver to the car with my bags.  It took nearly 2 hours to drive along the winding coastal road to north Lombok where the All Hands and Hearts base was located.  Even in the dark, I could see that the island had lush green vegetation and fantastic views of the ocean.  I arrived at the base, quietly unloaded my bags, and setup my bed.  The base observed quiet hours and lights out from 10pm to 6am, so I had to use the flashlight on my phone to see without disturbing the others. 

The next morning, I met everyone and checked out the surroundings in daylight.  We are staying at the event hall of the Medana Bay Marina Hotel, which accommodated about 30 of us in 1 large room in the beginning.

 

the patio aka the office aka the meeting room aka the dorm

Scaffolding

Camping on the patio under my mosquito net

tent city

Some people have tents and others like me just have a mattress and sleeping bag.  The tile floor has color-coded tape outlining bed spaces and the corresponding evacuation route.  Safety is a big priority for all of us.  The area is still experiencing frequent earthquakes, so we have a plan in place to evacuate to our designated meeting point during an earthquake, have a roll call, and head to higher ground if there is a tsunami warning.  Later, everyone moved outside on the lawn with tents or the patio because the building needed some minor repairs. I helped build the bamboo structure to cover the tents in case of rain. Staying at the marina makes for beautiful views of the water and swimming, but we also must be mindful of the danger the water poses in case of a tsunami. The most important thing I learned the first day was always to carry my go-bag and to bring it with me if we ever evacuated. If we must leave immediately, the go-bag has all my essentials, including my passport, money, phone and charger, battery pack, water, change of clothes, etc.  I put my passport and money in my waist pouch and always wear it, even when sleeping and working.  Just in case I forget or can’t carry my go-bag I always have the most valuable item for a traveler, my passport.  Every single time I mention my go-bag to my boyfriend, a combat veteran, I hear him tense up, because he knows very well how critical the bag is.  He has his own bag ready and is ready to alert the A-Team if necessary.

Living on base has been a huge adjustment for me.  I’m accustomed to being by myself and socializing on my own terms, not being surrounded by the same people all day, every day.  We are up to around 40 people on base, which makes sharing the kitchen and bathroom very interesting.  You can hear most alarms going off at 6am six days a week, but some people wake up with the 4:45am call to prayer and can’t go back to sleep.  (Indonesia is the largest Muslim country in the world.)  Our base is located between 2 mosques on either end of the road.  Some days I’m awake before the prayers begin, and other days I don’t hear them at all.  Everyone gets dressed and makes their own breakfast consisting of toast, eggs, or oatmeal before it’s time to go.  We are dressed and ready to load up the cars for work around 7am each morning and we leave the work sites to return to base before the 3:30 call to prayer.  Two women from the village prepare fresh delicious lunch and dinner for us every workday.  Most of the local dishes they prepare are spicy and vegetarian friendly, and they always make a chicken or fish dish too.  Rice (nasi) After meals, each of us is supposed to wash and rinse our own dishes before placing them in a bleach solution for sanitization, and then place them on a rack to dry.  Some people’s standard of cleanliness in the kitchen is severely lacking.  That’s all I’m going to say about that.

Most of the volunteers are women and maybe 20% are men.  The women have access to a bathroom with 2 toilet stalls and 1 squatting toilet stall that we use for bucket showers. 

After a long day of working in the sun, covered in dirt and sweat, a shower is all you really want.  However, we wait in line to take a cold, disappointing bucket shower.  Honestly, the bucket shower wouldn’t be bad if the water wasn’t so cold.  I think it is a great way to conserve water and it’s very efficient.  You get in and out when you only have enough water to fill a bucket.  On days when I need to relax and feel like I’m really clean, I go to the beach a few feet away and let the salt water wash over my skin while I exfoliate with the sand.  It’s like being at a spa.  Not really, but it does make me feel better.  After an ocean bath, I then take a bucket shower to wash off the salt water.

When the program started, we worked Monday to Saturday, and later the organization was asked to change the schedule out of respect for the Muslim villages where we work.  Friday is a Muslim Holy Day. Most people try to make the most of the rest day by exploring the island and/or taking a hot shower when possible.  I took a boat with a group of people to Gili Trawangan (Gili T) a couple of times.  

on the boat to Gili T

It’s the largest of a group of 3 small islands (gili means small islands in Bahasa Indonesian) located between Lombok and Bali.  The Gilis were also hit hard by the earthquakes in August, and they are trying to recover as quickly as possible, because they are primarily tourist islands.  There are lots of dive shops and excursions for exploring the clear blue water around the islands.  Gili T is known for being a big place for parties and nightlife, and you can relax there.  I think it just depends on where you choose to stay.  I really enjoyed staying at Gili Eden, a small, quiet hotel with a pool and much coveted hot water.  I also enjoyed eating at Kayu Café on multiple occasions.  I sometimes stayed at Kayu for hours enjoying the calm setting and using their wi-fi.  In addition to visiting Gili T, I went to Mataram a couple of times.  Mataram is the capital city of Lombok, which is about an hour away from our base.  The government offices are located there, and it is the biggest city on Lombok.  I mostly went to Mataram because I could use free wi-fi at Starbucks and conduct business that I couldn’t do on base without network service.  When I lost access to my cash, I went to Epicentrum Mall thinking I might be able to exchange money there or find a Western Union, but that wasn’t the case.  At least at the mall, I could use my credit card to make purchases.  Most other places only accept cash.  I had a pedicure at the mall and bought snacks at the grocery store.  Before one of our breaks, I asked Julia, our local translator if I could ride to Mataram with her when she went home.  I thought I would just stay at a hotel with free wi-fi for the night, take a hot shower, and have a nice dinner on my day off.  Julia invited me to stay at her home instead.  I arrived at her mother’s house and was greeted in Bahasa.  Her mom spoke no English, but she made me feel welcomed with tasty snacks and a cup of tea. I was surprised to see a large Hindu shrine encompassing about a quarter of their outdoor space.  I have previously only seen formal temples, not homes with the ornate statues and carvings.  I noticed that some of their neighbors also had large garden shrines.  When I went to sleep, one of their dogs slept outside my door.  Don’t tell Isis another dog was trying to take her place. 

The next day, I explored Mataram and Sengiggi on the back of a motorbike with Julia.  We went up the hills and saw great views of the city and the beaches down below and had lunch on the beach.  We also went to a spa where I had a massage, body scrub, and pedicure for 200,000 IDR, which is less than $15.  I’m so glad I said yes to experiencing Lombok with Julia. 

view of Sengiggi

I have tried to keep up my fitness routine while in Indonesia, which includes running 5 miles a week, 75 daily squats, and 300 pushups each week.  It was extremely hard considering the physical nature of the daily work.  I skipped the pushups the first couple of weeks because my body was adjusting to moving rubble all day.  My runs usually started outside of the hotel gate running through the village before turning on what might be the quietest road on Lombok right behind our base.  There are a few luxury hotels and cows along the hilly road, which made it very peaceful.  I felt like Muhammad Ali in Zaire when I ran through the village as the children and some adults waved and yelled out “Hello” as I passed.  On my last run, a couple of ladies wanted a picture with me.  I was hot and sweaty and near the end of my run, but I obliged their request. 

There are a couple of ladies in the village who have a laundry business located right outside our base.  They charge 5000/kilo (around 33 cents) to wash, dry, iron, and fold the laundry.  I wish I had them at home.  Their business has grown exponentially with our group using their services now.  The first time I went there, I was surprised because they didn’t write my name on my clothes and I didn’t receive a ticket to retrieve my items.  I was concerned that my clothes might be lost.  When I went back the next day to pick up my laundry, the lady immediately went to the bag with my clothes.  That happened every single time I went there, which was about once a week.  I told Julia about my experience, and she said, “No one else looks like you.  They all know you.”  I thought I was the only black person on Lombok until another black volunteer came to the base this week.  I told her it was just us on the island.  I saw 3 other black people on Gili T on one of my excursions a couple of weeks before that I think were African.  I saw 2 more black women on Lombok yesterday in Kuta, which is another beach area in southern Lombok.  Most of the volunteers I’ve seen with the various aid organizations are white.  The pictures and videos show white faces helping the poor colored people of the world.  I think it’s great that people have the heart to help others that they don’t know.  I just would like to see more people of color on the other side though giving aid.  I am aware of government-sponsored assistance and local organizations that help.  I’m not sure if there are international organizations that are led by people of color or groups that keep that in mind when recruiting volunteers. I guess I should investigate that.

"flower power"

French connection

volunteers and staff from UK, USx4, Belgium, Malaysia, and France

I fulfilled my volunteer commitment to All Hands and Hearts, and I left the base a couple of days ago having met some really amazing people with big hearts.  I’m currently spending a few days relaxing in Kuta before leaving Indonesia.  Immigration allows tourists to stay for 30 days without a visa. The southern part of Lombok was not impacted by the earthquakes, and there are no piles of rubble like North Lombok. The Indonesian island of Sulawesi was rocked by a 7.5 magnitude earthquake followed by a tsunami just a few days ago.  It was 500 miles away, and didn't impact Lombok. At least a thousand people have died so far, and many are missing. Indonesia is already one of the poorest countries in the world, and now they are facing a long recovery from 2 devastating disasters. If you want to help, please consider making a donation on my fundraising page: https://give.allhandsandhearts.org/fundraiser/1623359

I’m so glad I had the opportunity to help with the earthquake recovery in Lombok.  It was also a real growth experience for me living with so many different people.  There were many challenges that I had to overcome, and I wanted to leave several times, but I stuck it out.  I appreciate every prayer and word of encouragement. I’m heading to one of my favorite destinations next.  Can you guess where it is?  Hint: It’s the world’s largest democracy.